Stories often end with partings, as characters who were drawn together for a temporary adventure return to their old lives, or as relationships break under pressure. A parting between friends, lovers, or family members in the finale can make for heartwrenching drama. However, it isn't over until it's over: many works that separate characters in the last act then skip over weeks, months, or years to show that the separation was temporary and the characters meet again in the future. This can be done through a DistantFinale or WhereAreTheyNow? moment.

If the separated characters were romantically involved or had UnresolvedSexualTension, this trope can be used to create either a LastMinuteHookup or a MaybeEverAfter ending. However, this trope is not limited to romantic pairings.

This trope is only for when the parting occurs near the end of the work. If the character left a series or work much earlier, you're probably looking at BackForTheFinale. The reunion here is always brief, as well: the missing character shows up only in the final scene of the work. For other tropes involving returned characters that typically don't take place after a TimeSkip, see TheBusCameBack, CommutingOnABus, and BackForTheDead.

'''This is an ending trope. Beware of spoilers!'''

----!!Examples

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[[folder: Anime & Manga ]]

* ''Anime/{{Speedgrapher}}'' ends with [[spoiler: Kagura and Saiga]] reunited after a separation of five years. He seems to have been expecting her, though she comes unannounced.* ''Manga/SakamichiNoApollon'': The anime ends with a reunion between three separated friends.* ''Manga/{{Bakuman}}'' is all about this. Mashiro and his love interest, Azuki go separate ways until them both can accomplish their dreams. In the last chapter [[spoiler: they reunite and kiss after ten years, having achieved their goals]] However, it was [[ForegoneConclusion obvious]] they would do that.* ''Anime/GunXSword'' has [[spoiler: Van and Wendy]] reuniting purely by coincidence/fate an unspecified number of years after they parted. It's clear from what she tells the reporter that she's been waiting for him to show up; his reaction to the meeting is less clear.* In ''{{Hellsing}}'''s DistantFinale (thirty years later!) [[spoiler: Alucard returns to Integra.]]* ''LightNovel/{{Toradora}}'' has a particularly cute one reuniting [[spoiler: Ryuji and Taiga]].

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[[folder: Comic Books ]]

* The final installment of ''ComicBook/TheBojeffriesSaga'' reveals that the family haven't spoken to each other for twenty years, and then brings them back together.

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[[folder: Film ]]

* Happens in the end of ''Film/GodBlessAmerica'', when Frank and Roxy reunite [[spoiler:just to be shot to death BonnieAndClyde-style]].* The last two ''Film/SpiderMan'' movies in the original trilogy end with Peter and Mary Jane reuniting. Averted in the first one which ends with Peter being forced to leave her.* Pixar's ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'' ends this way as part of its DistantFinale. It's unclear exactly how much time has passed, but it's long enough for [[spoiler: the company to have completely converted from scream collection to laugh collection, and for Mike to have put Boo's door back together so Sully can see her again.]]

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[[folder: Literature ]]

* Both endings of ''Literature/GreatExpectations'' show Pip and Estella meeting again after several years of separation. The nature of the meeting is very different depending on which ending you read. [[spoiler: In one, Estella is happily married to someone else. In the other, she's still available and it's implied that they may have a future together.]]* The last chapter of the ''ColdfireTrilogy'', [[spoiler:where Damien Vryce recognizes Gerald Tarrant's newest reincarnation. They very indirectly discuss how he was able to come back, and then they part ways.]]* Edith Wharton's ''TheAgeOfInnocence'' averts this after giving every appearance of intending to play it straight. The (kind of) love affair of Newland and Ellen that forms the main story ends in separation when he decides to go through with marrying his fiancee, and she leaves the country for good. In an epilogue set 26 years later, Newland has travelled to Paris with his son. It's noted that the former's wife has since died. Then Newland finds out that Ellen is in town as well and his son persuades Newland to come with him and see Ellen. Newland does - almost. He stops at the door, and in the end decides not to reunite with his one-time love, preferring to preserve his image of what might have been.

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[[folder: Live Action Television ]]

* The last episode of ''DawsonsCreek'' takes place [[DistantFinale 5 years]] after the penultimate episode, where they all reunite.* The last episode of ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' starts with the surviving crew members celebrating the tenth anniversary of their return to the Alpha Quadrant.

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[[folder: Video Games ]]

* TheStinger of the ending of ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonExplorers'' has the hero and their partner reunite after an unspecified, but implied to be lengthy period of time; [[spoiler: the former being willed back into being by Dialga after [[RippleEffectIndicator having been erased from existence.]]]]* ''{{VideoGame/Persona 4}} [[UpdatedRerelease Golden]]'' has a newly added epilogue for the TrueEnding where Yu returns to visit Inaba several months after he leaves town.

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[[folder: Web Comics ]]

* The epilogue of PennyAndAggie has most of the cast, and the eponymous duo, reuniting at the high school reunion, and teases a renewed relationship for the more mature duo.

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[[folder: Web Original ]]

* In the epilogue, the surviving protagonists of ''DarwinsSoldiers'' met up thirty years later for a [[TheMovie movie premiere]] about their adventures.